


Hope

by GlowingMechanicalHeart



Series: Cassian Appreciation Week [13]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: CassianAppreciationWeek, Gen, Hope, Missing Scene, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-28 04:23:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20057950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowingMechanicalHeart/pseuds/GlowingMechanicalHeart
Summary: "Did you mean that?" Jyn asks while on the ship on the way to Yavin."Mean what?" He asks."That thing of yours, about Rebellions being built on hope." Jyn looks at him, searching his eyes and face for an answer."Yes, I do." He says.





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> For [The Fulcrum Captain](https://thefulcrumcaptain.tumblr.com)'s Cassian Appreciation Week. Day: 6: Hope

"Did you mean that?" Jyn asks while on the ship on the way to Yavin.

"Mean what?" He asks.

"That thing of yours, about Rebellions being built on hope." Jyn looks at him, searching his eyes and face for an answer.

"Yes, I do." He says.

"I don't get it," Jyn responds.

He sighs, "Think about it. If you don't have hope, how do you fight? How do you continue fighting after a loss? How do you not give in? You have hope. You have hope that tomorrow will go better. You have hope that what you're fighting for is worth it. You have hope that your enemy is not invincible. Hope gives you strength. Hope is something you cling to even after a defeat. Hope becomes your bread. Hope should never die."

"And do you have it?"

"When I was young, my father hoped our home world would be free of the Republic. But he died, and the Emperor took over. Hope was all I had. Hope became the thing that moved me. Even now, it does. Even after years - decades, of fighting against two regimes, I haven't lost hope. Because I believe winning is possible. We just need to keep going."

"I don't know if I have hope. Once, when I was a child I hoped my father would return. He never did. Then Saw also left. And now this, if the Empire has this planet killer, how can we fight back?"

"We fight with hope Jyn. With hope that one shot will be the thing that destroys that weapon. We hope that other planets will join us, the Empire can't fight all the systems. The Emperor or his attack dog can't be in all places at once. So have hope Jyn. Your father might have given us the chance we so desperately need."

Jyn said nothing, but closed her eyes. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "I'm afraid."

"Don't let it consume you. Your father had hope in Bodhi, hope that you would hear his words. Hope that somehow, we'd be able to fight and destroy that thing. If he can have hope, so can you."

"You make it sound so easy," Jyn gave him a rueful smile. "I'm not sure I have it in me."

Cassian closed his eyes, and then laid a gentle hand on Jyn's shoulder. "Hope," he said. "Hope should never die. We need hope to live. We need hope to survive the Emperor's cruelty and leash. Don't give in, don't up. Fight, but above all things, believe."

"Rebellions are built on hope," Jyn whispered. "Rebellions are built on hope," she repeated more firmly this time, a look of determination on her face. Then her lips curled upwards in a tentative smile, "All my life I fought, ever since my mother died. But I only took one step at the time. Hope, hope is a strange thing for me. But I suppose, that if I am going to fight the Empire with the Rebellion, I might as well start believing that we can win."

Cassian smiled at Jyn, "Yes, let us have hope and fight. We can win this war. So long as we have hope, we got a chance."

**Author's Note:**

> Late entry is late.


End file.
